One Text Away

Sorry if you have the volume up, but I just had to pick this song because it was "him" who introduced me to this group and it was actually five minutes to midnight when I thought of asking "him" to assist me in my latest endeavor. He's the same fellow I called to abet in my puppy-snatching coup. I guess I call "him" for aid more than I realized but he's always very willing so why should this time have been different?
Steve took the kids to Grouse Creek this past weekend and I decided to go shopping for some book club items which I did find. Just so happens that I also found a nice 3 piece set of furniture I wanted for book club as well. I only had two problems. 1. My muscle man was out of town. 2. If I called somebody this close to midnight, they'd probably deliver the furniture directly through my window howbeit shattering as much glass as force would allow. This was a definite predicament since my personality is such that I wouldn't be able to sleep unless I knew I could get that furniture the next morning.
Then lightening struck the synapses and I knew I could not only text my nephew at this hour, but I could also count on his help - "him" the Zakariah, the Zak-a-sack, the Z-tack!
It wasn't easy for him. We had to haul out the old basement couches and move these sage green nightmares down the 1975 staircase. I am definitely the weakest link so much of the transitioning was done by himself. I asked him if he wanted me to call a neighbor for help but he convinced me I was strong enough so we did it alone. Thanks for believing in me Neph! My arms hurt like hell today but I feel like the bionic woman because I contributed enough to get the job done.
Here's Zak relaxing on the newbie. It was nice to spend the day with him too. He has quite a sound system in his lifted truck so we thumped to and fro the furniture and donation stores. I felt like I was in high school again and I'm almost sure I saw a passerby mouth to me, "Hey old lady, isn't that going to shard your hearing aid?" Zak also tried to make me feel better by pretending to try and find a Matchbox song on his iPod. It was a nice gesture anyhow.Where does the time go, seriously? I can remember him crying when the delivery nurse flicked his feet so hard that I wanted to kill her. I can remember picking out this green outfit with my mom at Sears. We didn't even have a Wal-Mart when Zak was born. This was an outfit that all the boys in our large and extended family wore when they were 3 years old. They stopped the tradition after Zak. I think it's probably because they could see the white boy path progressing to something ridiculous. He still looks devishly handsome in it.

Zak's always had a big heart. I remember one time when he was five, and I must've been feeling overly brave, I took him, Ash, and Krystle to McDonald's (mind you, I was in college and had no idea what it was like to tow 3 kids around.) Anyway, I ordered and paid for all the food but as I was passing out everybody's meals, I realized they had shorted me my own box of McNuggets. I went to the counter to tell the worker and when I came back, there was a full box of McNuggets sitting on my plate. I was confused for a minute until I saw Zak's plate only had fries. He felt so bad they had forgotten to give me nuggets that he secretly gave his to me. I tried to give them back and convince him that mine were on the way but he wouldn't take them. I still get teary to think of it.

Zak provided many years of fun football for us. He is #40 in these pics and below is him running for a touchdown in the '03 mini-bowl. I will never forget this game and specifically this play because he plowed out of 6 defenders to run 30 yards and score. We could hardly believe when he came out of that tackle and began his run. It was our superbowl and our all-star at the helm! I am not exaggerating, only bragging, when I say that he made almost every completed play in the game (props to his blockers.) They beat a 4 time undefeated team for the championship.

And now he's almost 18 years old. Zak was the first child to officially make me an aunt and I love him as much as I did the day he was born. He is a good kid with big dreams that I know he will acheive. He told me Saturday that he's going to get a bullet bike and my stomach's been turning ever since. I did well at hiding my true feelings but I am having a hard time staying calm about his future purchase. If you ever read this Zak, please don't go so fast that you will acquire all the injuries we spoke of, and especially don't do anything stupid because I will forever need you as my co-conspirator. I watched you newly into this world and I do not anticipate watching you leave it, ever. BE SAFE for me, for my sister, for your Grandma and Papa, for your brother ok. Don't make me post pics of you in the tub or doing the super-d-duper twirl with Barney! And thank you for being there whenever I need you.

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I thought it fitting to post a picture of, most likely, the last child to make me an aunt. This is Rocky, born to Aleesha and Matt a few days ago. Given the name, I forsee great furniture-moving potential.